Inner tube testing device



Jan; 18,1949.

L; H. WINK 2,459,606

INNER TUBE TESTING DEVICE Filed Nov. 5, 1945 Ill,

Patented Jan. 18, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE INNER TUBE TESTING DEVICE Louis Herbert Wink, Leesburg, Fla. Application November 5, 1945, Serial No. 626,605

2 Claims.

This invention relates to vehicle tires and more particularly to a removable fabric covering for the inner tube.

At the present time it is the practice in locating punctures in inner tubes to inflate the tube and then immerse the inflated tube in water. This procedure is quite satisfactory for certain punctures which will open up and release air when the tube is inflated, but with quite small punctures which leak air only under fairly high pressure, the high inflation of the inner tube causes bubbles or undue enlargement of weakened portions of the tube, and if the small puncture is not within the area of the bubble or balloon the puncture cannot be readily detected. It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide means whereby the inner tube may be put under fairly high pressure and also held against undue localized enlargement, so that the high pressure puncture can be detected and repaired.

Another object of this invention is to provide a fabric covering which can be used for different sizes of inner tubes, and wherein the fabric has the lengthwise edges thereof detachably connected together by interengaging fastening means including a slidable element.

A further object of this invention is to provide a covering of this type which is made of fairly loose mesh so that the location of the puncture can be detected and marked by projecting a pencil point or the like through the fabric,

A further object of this invention is to provide a covering of this type which is of simple construction, so that it can be made at low cost.

To the foregoing objects, and others which may hereinafter more fully appear, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will be more specifically referred to and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, but it is to be understood that changes, variations, and modifications may be resorted to which fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a plan view of my invention,

Figure 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, of my invention as applied to an inner tube, and

Figure 3 is a section taken on 3-3 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral Ill designates generally a fabric covering for an inner tube. This covering is to be used on the inner tube while locating punctures in the tube. The covering H1 is constructed of two sections of loosely woven fabric designated by the numerals II and I2 in Figure 1. The fabric sections II and i2 are initially of longitudinally arcuate form having the convex edges connected together so that the covering will smoothly conform to the inner tube when the tube is inflated, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. The two sections II and I2 are fastened together along their convex edges by stitching inwardly of their lengthwise edges as shown at I3 in Figure l, and the sections are then folded back as indicated by the numerals it! and l 5 respectively and the reverted edges are then stitched as shown at I6 and I! respectively. The ends of each section are also reverted and sewn in a manner similar to the lengthwise edges.

A part of an interengaging fastening means I8 is fastened to the free lengthwise edge of each section and one edge carries a sliding element I9, adapted to engage the correlated parts of the interengaging fastening means in interlocking arrangement. A small circular opening 20 is cut out of one section of the covering to allow the valve stem 2| to protrude from within the covering I 0.

The fastening means I8 does not extend the full length of the edges of the sections II and I2, and a short portion 23 of each section is free, when the covering I0 is fastened onto the tube 22, so that these free portions may overlap each other and thereby provide a complete covering for the whole tube 22.

In the use and operation of this covering I0 to test an inner tube 22 for leaks, the interengagin fastening means are separated by sliding the element I9 to released position. The covering I0 is opened and wrapped about the inner tube 22. The valve stem 2| is projected through the opening 20 of the covering I0 and the covering is then closed by sliding the slider I9 in a direction to interlock the fastening means I8 along the entire length of the covering. The tube 22 is then inflated to 5 pounds pressure and placed in a container of water. The air leaking out of the tube 22 will also leak out of the covering II] at the same point and a suitable mark may be made through the covering I0 on the tube 22 where a leak is observed by projecting a pencil point or other implement through the fabric. The covering I0 is then removed and. the leak may be patched in the usual manner.

By the use of this covering, bulges and weak spots in the tube are supported when the tube is inflated so undue stress is not put on these weak spots.

The exact configuration illustrated is regarded as the optimum, but some of the desirable results inherent in this disclosure may be obtained ments terminating in spaced relation to one endv of said covering whereby said covering may be wrapped about said tube with the opposite: ends in overlapping relation one to the other.

2. A device for testing inner tubes "having a valve stem comprising an elongated :loosely'woven fabric covering having free ends and side edges,

correlated inter-engaging fastening elements on the opposite side edges, including a slider therefor, one end of said fastening elements terminating in spaced relation to the adjacent end of said covering whereby said covering may be secured about a tube with the ends of said covering in overlapping relation.

LOUIS HERBERT WINK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

. UNITED STATES PATENTS 15 Number Name Date 2,168,983 Greely Aug. 8, 1939 2,264,975 Hare Dec. 2, 1941 

